QSR1886/4/5/7

Depositions of Charlotte Sole and Annie Sole, both of 5 Williamson Street, Luton and William Chamberlain, detective officer of Luton. In the case of Esther Pressland accused of stealing a watch and chain.

15 September 1886

From: 1886 To: 1886

Charlotte Sole: wife of John Gregory Sole residing at 5 Williamson Street, Luton. On 12 September about 6.20pm she and her husband went to church. The children and servants went for a walk. She saw her husband lock the house door and put the key in the greenhouse behind the door. On returning at 7.50pm she found the prisoner and the children outside the house, afraid to go in because the greenhouse door was open and the key gone. Her husband got in through the window and unfastened one of the doors. On going upstairs she missed her god, watch from a small box on her drawers. The prisoner had been in her service for about a year and 11 months. She saw Detective Chamberlain find the watch in the chimney in the prisoner’s room. The prisoner told the detective she knew nothing of it. The chain was not found. Annie Sole: on the Sunday evening she went out with the servant and the children when her father and mother went to church. They walked to Guildford Street and Esther said she wanted her pocket handkerchief and watch which she had left, so she and Esther went back home. She waited outside whilst Esther went in for about 5 minutes. Esther locked the door and she heard her go to the greenhouse with the key. They walked back to the other children. They found the gate and the greenhouse door open when they went back again and waited for her mother and father to return home. William Chamberlain: he received information that someone had entered the Sole’s house and went there examined the premises. He made enquiries and asked the Annie Sole, in the presence of the prisoner, if she had returned with the prisoner and she said she had had. He searched the prisoner’s bedroom and her box. He found the watch up the chimney. Mr Sole called up the prisoner and asked if she could account for it and the prisoner said she had no knowledge of it. On further search of the chimney he found 10 shillings in silver wrapped in paper. The prisoner said it did not belong to her. He did not recover the watch chain. Statement of the accused: not guilty. She would suffer for the wrong party.

9 pages

item

Pressland, Esther,
Sole, Charlotte,
Sole, Annie,
Chamberlain, William

LUTON, Luton Williamson Street, stealing, watches, servant